The once-mighty, genre-defying game that was, is now struggling to stay afloat. What's behind this trend? Is perfection even possible in games?
In an industry where megabudgets and super-high definition have become the norm, there's been a noticeable shift towards more polished experiences. With development costs skyrocketing, developers are no longer willing to risk creating flawed yet fascinating titles that might not appeal to mass audiences.
However, there's still room for imperfection in games. Flawed-but-fascinating games were once the backbone of the industry. From the mid-1990s to the late 2010s, it was possible for a team of fewer than 50 development staff to create an "okay" mid-budget adventure that would find an audience.
Consider Prototype, Activision's 2009 shape-shifting action-adventure game, or Deadly Premonition, Hidetaka "Swery65" Suehiro's detective adventure. Both are imperfect but endearing titles that have gained cult followings. Similarly, games like Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, despite their flaws, offer an enjoyable and idiosyncratic experience.
The problem lies in the mainstream gaming industry's tendency to focus on polished experiences rather than taking risks on flawed yet fascinating games. Mega-budgets and super-high definition have become synonymous with success, but at what cost? Development costs are too high for many developers to risk creating imperfect titles that might not appeal to mass audiences.
It's worth noting that some games still manage to defy easy critical evaluation, often hidden treasures that players discover by playing magazine cover disc demos or renting them from Blockbuster. These types of games are now harder to find, but they're still out there waiting to be discovered.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 may receive criticism for its flaws, but it could well turn out to be immortal.
In an industry where megabudgets and super-high definition have become the norm, there's been a noticeable shift towards more polished experiences. With development costs skyrocketing, developers are no longer willing to risk creating flawed yet fascinating titles that might not appeal to mass audiences.
However, there's still room for imperfection in games. Flawed-but-fascinating games were once the backbone of the industry. From the mid-1990s to the late 2010s, it was possible for a team of fewer than 50 development staff to create an "okay" mid-budget adventure that would find an audience.
Consider Prototype, Activision's 2009 shape-shifting action-adventure game, or Deadly Premonition, Hidetaka "Swery65" Suehiro's detective adventure. Both are imperfect but endearing titles that have gained cult followings. Similarly, games like Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, despite their flaws, offer an enjoyable and idiosyncratic experience.
The problem lies in the mainstream gaming industry's tendency to focus on polished experiences rather than taking risks on flawed yet fascinating games. Mega-budgets and super-high definition have become synonymous with success, but at what cost? Development costs are too high for many developers to risk creating imperfect titles that might not appeal to mass audiences.
It's worth noting that some games still manage to defy easy critical evaluation, often hidden treasures that players discover by playing magazine cover disc demos or renting them from Blockbuster. These types of games are now harder to find, but they're still out there waiting to be discovered.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 may receive criticism for its flaws, but it could well turn out to be immortal.
. I mean, don't get me wrong, polished experiences are great and all, but it's so... safe 
. Where's the risk-taking? The experimentation? It's like everyone's just playing by the same rules now 
.
. You'd stumble upon a game that was just so weird and wonderful, it became an instant classic 
. Now, those types of games are super rare 
.
. I mean, who says a game has to be flawless? Can't we just enjoy the imperfections and have some fun with them? 
It's like we're all just trying to make the same boring, mainstream games instead of taking chances on something truly unique 
. We need more games that are a little bit weird, a little bit rough around the edges 
.
. prototype and deadly premonition are actually kinda my fave examples of flawed-but-fabulous games. it's like, people think they have to be 99% perfect or else they're a failure, but what's the point of that? let's just enjoy the messy ride sometimes 
. Flawed games were always the best ones, in my opinion! 
They're like the quirky indie band that makes you dance – you might not know what's going on, but it's infectious 
. And can we talk about how much more relatable those "okay" mid-budget adventure games were back in the day? 
The gaming industry is all about taking risks and pushing boundaries – maybe it's time to shake off that polish-perfectionism vibe and get weird again 
And don't even get me started on Swery65's detective games, those are like the ultimate hidden gems 
. I don't think perfection is even possible in games – it's always gonna be subjective 
. What if perfection just means making something that's boring for everyone? I'd rather have a game that's got some character and flaws than something that's just...perfect 
.
I think its kinda sad that devs gotta play it safe cuz of those crazy high dev costs 
If perfection is even possible in games then where's the fun in making a flawless game thats never gonna make you feel anything? Sometimes its the imperfections and weirdness thats what makes something stick with u 
, the gaming industry has changed so much over the years and now it's all about creating these super polished experiences that are just too perfect 
Those are the kinds of games we need more of!
like, Swery65's games are still underrated imo. Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is proof that you don't need perfect to be amazing 
Those old school hidden gems were the best part of gaming history, and now they're just lost on us 
. With all these big-budget games and super-high production values, it's hard to find something that's genuinely imperfect in a good way 
? Games like Prototype and Deadly Premonition were basically underdogs that found a following because of their weirdness and charm 
. Now it feels like every game is trying to be perfect and mainstream, and that's kinda boring 
. Can't we just have some games that are a little bit wonky and lovable instead? 
. Maybe we'll see more of those cult classics re-emerge as devs experiment with new business models or platforms? Until then, I'll keep an eye out for those hard-to-find gems on old mag disc demos or whatever Blockbuster still has lying around